Automatic shell ejector



Oct. 18, 1960 R. L. ZOUCK 2,956,480

AUTOMATIC SHELL EJECTOR Filed May 27, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 ROBERT L. ZOUCK INVEN TOR.

mmjrzw A TTORNE Y Oct. 18, 1960 R. L. ZOUCK 2,955,430

AUTOMATIC SHELL EJECTOR Filed May 27, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 O I/ v lw/ J ROBERT L. ZOUCK INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Oct. 18, 1960 R. L. ZOUCK 2,956,480

AUTOMATIC SHELL EJECTOR Filed May 2'7, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ROBERT L. ZOUCK INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 27, 1955 ROBERT L. ZOUCK INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Oct. 18, 1960 ZOUCK 2,956,480

AUTOMATIC SHELL EJECTOR Filed May 27, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 5

ROBERT L. ZOUCK INVENTOR.

fla $442k ATTORNEY Unite States Patent AUTOMATIC SHELL EJECTOR Robert L. Zouck, Pikesville, Md., assignor to Aircraft Armaments, Inc., Cockeysville, Md., a corporation of Maryland Filed May 27, 1955, Ser. No. 511,532

13 Claims. 01. 89-33) This invention relates to an automatic shell ejector for use in conjunction with guns mounted in armored vehicles of various types.

One of the problems encountered in the operation of large caliber guns, mounted in armored vehicles, such as tanks and armored gun carriages, is the disposal of the empty shell cases ejected from the breech of the gun when it is fired. Such empty shell cases are ejected at a high velocity and are very hot when they leave the breech of the gun. It has been the past practice to allow the shell cases to strike some obstruction, such as the rear wall of the gun compartment, after leaving the gun, and to accumulate on the floor of the vehicle until such time as they can be removed. However, because of the high temperature of such ejected cases and their high velocity, when ejected, there is substantial danger to members of the vehicles crew, especially to the loader, who may be struck by a rebounding shell case or be burned by inadvertently touching a shell case before it has sufliciently cooled. In addition, the empty cases take up considerable room and impede the activities of the loader in removing ammunition from the storage rack and loading the gun. It is obvious that it would be very desirable to provide for automatically ejecting spent shell cases from the vehicle, thus eliminating the danger to members of the crew from rebounding cases, and avoiding the difliculties caused by allowing empty cases to accumulate on the floor of the vehicle.

To provide such a system, the invention herein disclosed utilizes a device adapted to grasp a shell case as it is ejected from the breech of a gun, swing it through an arc, and direct it through a suitable opening in the side or top of the vehicle. Briefly, this is accomplished by providing a tubular receptacle mounted on a pivoted arm behind the breech of the gun and positioned to allow a shell case ejected from the gun to enter the receptacle. Upon entering the receptacle, the case releases the pivoted arm, which has been latched against the action of a spring, and is simultaneously engaged by detents to be held within the container while the arm is rotated through a suit able arc by the action of the spring and the kinetic energy of the case. At the end of the arc, the case is ejected from the opposite end of the container from which it entered, and passes through a suitable opening in the wall of the vehicle. Means are provided on the gun breech to engage the ejector mechanism upon counter-recoil of the breech for cocking the mechanism against the action of the spring in readiness to receive the next succeeding shell case from the gun breech, thus making the ejector completely automatic.

This arrangement provides a compact, efiective and extremely rapid method for disposing of spent shell cases, and eliminates the difficulties inherent in allowing such cases to accumulate within a vehicle when firing a gun. The complete ejector cycle takes place during the recoil ice 2 sociated, so that the firing rate of the gun is not affected by use of the ejector.

It is the object of this invention, therefore, to provide a mechanism for automatically ejecting spent shell cases from a vehicle upon which a gun is mounted.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation view of the ejector shown in position behind the breech of a gun ready to receive the spent shell case from the breech when the gun is fired.

Figure 2 is a side elevation view taken opposite to Figure 1 and showing the arrangement of the elements of the ejector at the instant after the spent shell case has entered the receptacle from the breech.

Figure 3 is an end view looking from the left as viewed in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a side elevation view corresponding to Figure 2 and showing the position of the ejector just after the spent shell case has been ejected through the wall of the vehicle.

Figure 5 is a view showing the beginning of the cocking action upon counter-recoil of the gun.

Figure 6 is a partial sectional view taken along line 6-6 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing, the ejector is seen to include a receptacle 1 which is positioned behind the breech 50 I of the gun with which the ejector is associated to receive each shell case as the case is ejected from the gun after firing.- The receptacle comprises a pair of telescoping tubular members 6 and 7, which are swingably suspended from a shaft 3 by means of a pair of brackets 2. Shaft 3 is journalled for rotation in a pair of brackets 4 which are mounted on a suitable portion of the structure 5 of the vehicle in which the ejector is mounted.

To rotate the receptacle 1 from the receiving position shown in Figure 1 to the ejecting position shown in Figure 4, a compression spring 10 is provided. Spring 10 is compressed within a tube 8 which is pivoted at one end to bracket 9. A pin 11 extends transversely across the end of spring 10 and rides within slots 12 formed on opposite sides of the free end of tube 8. A crank arm 13, which is fixed to shaft 3, engages pin 11 so that the force exerted by spring 10 on pin 11 will tend to rotate shaft 3 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 1.

To retain the ejector in the receiving position against the action of spring 10, a latch arm 14, which is pivotally mounted in bracket 15 atop the receptacle 1, is provided. A projection 46 formed on the end of latch arm 14 is adapted to engage the edge 47 of the sector 18 which is formed integral with bracket 4. Spring 16 acts between the receptacle 1 and the underside of latch arm 14 to urge the arm into its latched position.

and counter-recoil action of the gun with which it is as- The-ejecting cycle is initiated when the ejector is in the cocked and latched position shown in Figure 1. When the gun is fired, the ejected shell case 21 leaving the breech 50 enters the receptacle 1, where the rim 20 of the case strikes the inclined surface 19 formed on the underside of the latch arm 14, disengaging the latch arm from the sector 18, and allowing spring 10, acting against crank arm 13, to begin to rotate shaft 3. Further rotation of latch arm 14 is prevented by portion 23 of the latch arm 14 striking the arcuate surface 17 on the sector 18, so that surface 19 on the latch arm is effective to prevent further motion of case 21 through the receptacle 1. The case 21 is retained within the receptacle by projections 24 formed on the accelerator arms 28 and which extend through slots 40 in opposite sides of tubular section 7 to engage the rim 20 of case 21. The projections 24 are provided with inclined surfaces 55 as shown in Figure 6 and spring hinge 30 is provided in the accelerator arms to allow the upper portions 29 of the arms to be deflected outwardly by the rim 20 of the shell as it moves past the projections into position against the latch arm 14, the projections then returning into position behind the rim 20 to retain the case in the receptacle as shown in Figure 2.

The accelerator arms 28 are mounted on a shaft 26 which is journalled in a pair of posts 27 extending from the underside of tubular section 7. The lower ends of the arms are connected together by the bar 51 which carries a lug 52 at one side. A spring 54- carried on shaft 26 acts against bar 51 to urge the arms into an upright position. A second bar 56 extending between the arms strikes posts 27 upon rotation of the arms against the action of spring 54 to limit such rotation.

As shaft 3 continues to be rotated by action of spring and the inertia energy of the shell case 21, latch arm 14 moves beyond the sector 18 and is no longer restrained thereby. When the ejector reaches the position depicted in Figure 4, the lug 52 strikes abutment 32, stopping the rotation of the ejector. The inertia of the shell case 21 is then effective to deflect the latch arm 14 against the action of spring 16 and carry the case out of the receptacle 1.

Additional acceleration to insure complete ejection from the vehicle is imparted to the shell case by the accelerator arms 28 which are rotated sharply through a limited are when the lug 52 strikes abutment 32, thus imparting a high velocity to the shell case to impel it through opening 34 in the structure 5. Door 35, which acts as a closure for opening 34, has meanwhile been opened to allow passage of the shell case, suitable linkage or other door operating mechanism (not shown in the drawing) being provided to open and close the door in proper sequence.

Since, in the specific configuration shown in the drawing, the receptacle 1 would otherwise extend into the path of the recoilling breech, provision is made for telescoping the tubular members 6 and '7 of the receptacle. For this purpose a link 36 is pivotally connected at one end to bracket 4 and at the other end to tubular member 6. A follower 37 is carried by a projection 38 on the link, and rides within a slot 39 which is formed in a projecting portion of the bracket 2. As the ejector is rotated from the cocked position shown in Figure l to the position shown in Figure 4, the follower 37 is constrained to move in a path which will swing link 36 to slide tubular member 6 into member 7, thus moving member 6 out of the path of the recoilling breech.

To return the ejector to the position of Figure l in readiness to repeat the ejection cycle, a cocking lever 45 is provided. The lever 45 is fixed to shaft 3, and extends into the path of a finger 42 pivotally carried in bracket 53 which is fixed to the breech 50 of the gun. Finger 42 is normally maintained in an upright position by tension spring 43. As the breech recoils, finger 42 strikes cocking lever 45 and is deflected against the action of spring 43 to allow the breech to continue to recoil. During the return of the breech to battery position, as shown in Figure 5, the fingcr 42 again engages lever 45 and is effective to rotate the lever, thus returnnig the ejector assembly to the cocked position as in Figure 3, ready to receive the next succeeding shell case ejected from the breech.

The arrangement described thus provides a compact and effective device for ejecting spent shell cases from a vehicle as the cases are ejected from the gun breech, eliminating the difiiculties inherent in allowing the cases to accumulate within the vehicle. The ejector device completes its cycle during the recoil and counter-recoil action of the gun so that the rate of fire of the gun is not affected by the use of the device.

.lthough only one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it is to be understood that many modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An ejector for use with a vehicle mounted gun, comprising supporting structure, means forming a receptacle for receiving a shell case ejected from the breech of said gun, said means being pivotally mounted on said struc ture for arcuate motion from a first position to a position spaced therefrom, resilient means connected with said receptacle for urging said receptacle toward said second position, means for latching said receptacle in said first position, means connected to the last said means and responsive to motion of said shell case during entry of said shell case into said receptacle to unlatch said receptacle, pivoted means carried by said receptacle and engaging said shell case, and means carried by said structure and positioned to engage said pivoted means during the terminal portion of the motion of said receptacle toward said second position to actuate said pivoted means to accelerate said shell case out of said receptacle.

2. An ejection device for use with a vehicle mounted gun, comprising supporting structure, means forming a generally cylindrical receptacle disposed in a first position behind said gun to receive a shell case ejected therefrom, and pivotally mounted for arcuate motion from said first position to a second position spaced therefrom, stop means to limit said arcuate motion at said second position, spring means acting to urge said receptacle from the first said position into said second position, latch means for latching said receptacle in said first position, means connected to said latch means and extending into said receptacle to be engaged by a shell case entering said receptacle to release said receptacle, thereby allowing rotation thereof from said first position to said second position, pivoted latch means carried by said receptacle for engaging said shell case to retain said shell case in said receptacle during said arcuate motion thereof, and means engaging said latch means during the terminal portion of said receptacle toward said second position to rotate said latch means and eject said shell case from said receptacle.

3. An ejection device for a vehicle mounted gun, comprising supporting structure, a tubular shaped receptacle open at its ends and pivotally mounted on said structure and behind said gun for arcuate motion between a first position axially aligned with the bore of said gun and a second position spaced therefrom, resilient means urging said receptacle from said first to said second position, latch means for latching said receptacle in said first position to receive a spent shell case ejected from the breech of said gun, means connected to said latch means and being engageable by said shell case during entry of said shell case into said receptacle to unlatch said receptacle, detent means carried by said receptacle for engaging and holding said shell case in said receptacle during the initial motion thereof from said first to said second position, and stop means carried by said structure to terminate the motion of said receptacle when said receptacle reaches said second position, whereby the inertia of said shell case is effective to carry said case out of said receptacle.

4. An ejection device for a vehicle mounted recoilling gun, comprising supporting structure, a pair of telescoping tubular shaped elements forming a receptacle open at its ends and pivotally mounted behind said gun for arcuate motion between a first position axially aligned with the bore of said gun and a second position spaced therefrom, resilient means urging said receptacle from said first to said second position, latch means for latching said receptacle in said first position to receive a spent shell case ejected from the breech of said gun, means connected to said latch means and engageable by said shell case during entry of said shell case into said receptacle to unlatch said receptacle, detent means carried by said receptacle for engaging and holding said shell case during the initial motion thereof from said first to said second position, means responsive to motion of said receptacle between said first and said second positions to move said tubular members from an extended position when said receptacle is in said first position to a telescoped position when said receptacle is in said second position, stop means carried by said structure for terminating motion of said receptacle when said receptacle reaches said second position, pivoted ejector means carried by said receptacle and having one end thereof engaging said shell case, the other end of said ejector means being positioned to strike said stop when said receptacle reaches said second position, whereby to impel said shell case from said receptacle, and means responsive to counter recoil motion of said gun to return said receptacle to said first position.

5. An ejector for use with a gun, comprising supporting structure, means forming a receptacle for receiving into one end thereof a shell case ejected from the breech of said gun, said means being pivotally mounted on said structure for arcuate motion from a first position to a position spaced therefrom, resilient means connected with said receptacle for urging said receptacle toward said second position, means for latching said receptacle in said first position, means connected to the last said means and responsive to motion of said shell case during entry of said shell case into said receptacle to unlatch said receptacle and allow said receptacle to be swung to said second position, and means carried by said receptacle for engaging said shell case during motion of said receptacle toward said second position, whereby said motion is efiective to propel said shell case out of the other end of said receptacle.

6. An ejection device for use with a gun, comprising supporting structure, means forming a generally cylindrical receptacle having open ends and disposed in a first position behind said gun to receive a shell case ejected therefrom, and pivotally mounted for arcuate motion from said first position to a second position spaced therefrom, spring means acting to urge said receptacle from the first said position into said second position, latch means for latching said receptacle in said first position, means connected to said latch means and extending into said receptacle to be engaged by a shell case entering said receptacle to release said receptacle, thereby allowing rotation thereof from said first position to said second position, means carried by said receptacle for engaging said shell case during motion of said receptacle toward said second position, whereby said motion is effective to propel said shell case out of said receptacle.

7. An injection device for a recoiling gun, comprising supporting structure, a pair of telescoping tubular shaped elements forming a receptacle open at its ends and pivotally mounted behind said gun for arcuate motion between a first position axially aligned with the bore of said gun and a second position spaced therefrom, resilient means urging said receptacle from said first to said second position, latch means for latching said receptacle in said first position to receive a spent shell case ejected from the breech of said gun, means connected to said latch means and engageable by said shell case during entry of said shell case into said receptacle to unlatch said receptacle, detent means carried by said receptacle for engaging and holding said shell case during initial motion thereof from said first to said second position, means responsive to motion of said receptacle between said first and said second positions to move said tubular members from an extended position when said receptacle is in said first position to a telescoped position when said receptacle is in said second position, stop means carried by said structure for terminating motion of said receptacle when said receptacle reaches said second position, whereby said shell case is propelled from said receptacle, and means responsive to counter recoil motion of said gun to return said receptacle to said first position.

8. An article moving device comprising: a receptacle open at each end adapted to be mounted on a stationary structurehaving abutment means thereon, said receptacle being'movable from :a first position wherein an article to be moved is inserted therein at one end to a second position wherein the article is ejected therefrom at the other end; resilient means constantly biasing said receptacle toward said second position; movable latch means associated with said receptacle for releasably holding the same in said first position against the action of said resilient means; cam means cooperating with said latch means and adapted to be engaged by said article when the same is inserted into said receptacle whereby said latch means is movable to release position and said resilient, means is operable to move said receptacle from said first to said second position; spring biased releasable holding means on said receptacle adapted to engage and hold the article after the same is introduced therein; and means adapted to engage said abutment means as said recepa tacle moves to said second position, to simultaneously effect release of bold holding means and apply an acceleration to said article in the direction of movement of said receptacle whereby said article is ejected therefrom; and means to move said receptacle from said second positionback to said first position.

9. An article transfer device comprising: a receptacle; means mounting saidreceptacle for movement from a firstposition wherein anarticle to betransferred is i.n sertable therein to a second position wherein the article is removable therefrom; biasing means constantly urging said receptacle in the direction of said movement; retaining means on said receptacle normally retaining the same in said first position but actuatable by an article for effecting operation of said biasing means; holding means on said receptacle adapted to engage an article for eifecting its displacement relative thereto in the di rection of said movement and preventing its displacement relative thereto in a direction opposite to that of said movement; means mounting said retaining means and said holding means on said receptacle so that insertion of an article into said receptacle in the direction of said movement actuates said retaining means causing said movement, and said holding means is operable to pull the article with the receptacle during said movement; and means becoming efiective when said receptacle is in said second position for affecting displacement of the article relative to said receptacle in the direction of said movement.

10. An article transfer device comprising: a receptacle; means mounting said receptacle for movement from a first position wherein an article to be transferred is insertable therein to a second position wherein the article is removable therefrom; biasing means constantly urging said receptacle in the direction of said movement; retaining means on said receptacle normally retaining the same in said first position but actuatable by an article for elfecting operation of said biasing means; holding means on said receptacle adapted to engage an article for effecting its displacement relative thereto in the di rection of said movement and preventing its displacement relative thereto in a direction opposite to that of said movement; means mounting said retaining means and said holding means on said receptacle so that insertion of an article into said receptacle in the direction of said movement actuates said retaining means causing said movement, and said holding means is operable to maintain the article fixed with respect to said receptacle during said movement thereof; and means for suddenly arresting movement of said receptacle at said second position whereby the momentum of the article causes it to be displaced relative to said receptacle in the direction of said movement.

11. An article transfer device comprising a receptacle; means mounting said receptacle for movement from a first position wherein an article to be transferred is insertable therein to a second position wherein the article is removable therefrom; biasing means constantly urging said receptacle in the direction of said movement; retaining means on said receptacle normally retaining the same in said first position but actuatable by an article for effecting operation of said biasing means; holding means on said receptacle adapted to engage an article for eifecting its displacement relative thereto in the direction of said movement and preventing its displacement relative thereto in a direction opposite to that of said movement; means mounting said retaining means and said holding means on said receptacle so that insertion of an article into said receptacle in the direction of said movement actuates said retaining means causing said movement, and said holding means is operable to maintain the article fixed with respect to said receptacle during said movement thereof; stop means for suddenly arresting movement of said receptacle at said second position whereby the momentum of the article causes it to be accelerated relative to said receptacle in the direction of said movement; and means on said holding means responsive to the arrest of movement of said receptacle for imparting an additional acceleration to said article whereby removal thereof is assured.

12. An article transfer device comprising: a receptacle; means mounting said receptacle for movement from a first position wherein an article to be transferred is insertable therein to a second position wherein the artide is removable therefrom; means responsive to insertion of an article into said receptacle for efiecting its movement to said second position; holding means on said receptacle to engage and retain said article for causing the same to travel with said receptacle during its movement to said second position; means for suddenly halting movement of said receptacle at said second position; and means responsive to such sudden halting for disabling said holding means whereby the momentum of said article arising from its travel in said receptacle during movement to said second position causes displacement of said article from said receptacle in the direction of said movement.

13. The article transfer device of claim 12 wherein there is provided means responsive to the sudden halting of said receptacle for accelerating the displacement of said article.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 770,320 Schneider Sept. 20, 1904 1,204,360 Killinger et al. Nov. 7, 1916 2,520,727 Keith Aug. 29, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 703,320 Great Britain Feb. 3, 1954 

